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whatyoutolkienabout's review
5.0
Introduction
I was given an ARC to review for by Aconyte Books & Netgalley. My reviews are always honest and all opinions are my own. #WastelandersStarLord #Marvel MarvelEnt #NetGalley #SarahCawkwell #ARCBookReview #ARCReview #AconyteBooks #BookReview #gifted #ad
Review
Wastelanders: Star-Lord sees something I didn’t know I needed but I did, an older but not wiser Star-Lord and Rocket (he is wiser by the way it’s just Peter who is still, well Peter). They are a little slower and a lot saltier than before. Now crash landing in the desolated Midwest of Earths America they soon find that it isn’t what it used to be either. Especially after thirty years of Doctor Doom’s control over the now newly named Wastelands. But it’s not like they came to Earth by choice either, the form Guardians are working for The Collector. Who sent them to find the Black Vortex, an ancient relic reported to yield cosmic powers. That shouldn’t be a problem if it weren’t for the guillotine collars their employer has snapped on their necks which will finish them off if they don’t complete the job. Add to that the fact that they aren’t exactly alone in the wastelands meeting the ageless telepath Emma Frost, outlaw Ghost Riders and the bloodthirsty hunter Kraven. All with plans and schemes of their own. Who will find the Black Vortex first and what will be the price they have to pay for its power?
Okay so before the semi spoiler I want to say that Cawkwell is brilliant at capturing the characters and bringing them to life. Although the Star-Lord and Rocket we see here are older they still are very much the characters we know and love (well we do Rocket, Quill is just sort of there for me) and I have following on from that she made me actually laugh and like Quill. Now that is a hard task to complete. I love the Guardians don’t get me wrong and Quill is, well, an integral part of the team but much like Rocket I do get a bit fed up of him. That said he is still frustrating but that is a good thing. For me at least. It means his character is captured perfectly. On top of this so are the other characters that we see make cameos and appearances. I particularly loved that Kraven and Emma Frost make appearances and of course Doctor Doom (arguably my favourite Marvel Villain).
Not only does Cawkwell nail the characterisation the novel is action packed and reads a lot like a comic. That isn’t to say it’s telling not showing or overly heavy on description but rather it is punchy and keeps you on your toes. Something is always happening to either aid or hinder our heroes and it is brilliant but we have the added bonus of getting to know characters more intermittently with thoughts and feelings.
Spoiler
Firstly you know I hate spoilers but I am putting a warning here that while I will not spoil anything overly major or go in great details of the plot there is one thing I feel I need to say because I will not lie this is the first marvel prose novel to make me emotionally upset. I am talking literally pausing and being on the verge of tears. The reason will be mentioned below and prefaced by a spoiler warning section but first lets discuss what the novel is about.
Now for the mini spoiler a testament to Cawkwell’s further skill of capturing the characters and bringing them to life was Rocket and his death. No one can live forever but honestly that scene just broke me emotionally and helped me realise Quill isn’t so bad after all. This after rather rudely thinking, why couldn’t Star-Lord of is this have died. I honestly haven’t been that emotionally hit by the book in a while actually. And while it was a fitting way for him to go it still struck me. Now it’s not a bad thing. Quite the opposite as I said it goes to show how amazing Cawkwell is. I literally had to take a break from reading. That hardly ever happens. So yes, if you are a fellow Rocket fan prepare to be amused by our snarky friend but perhaps bring some tissues too!
End Spoiler
All in all this novel was amazing and one I really enjoyed. While it will be a must for Guardian of the Galaxy fans I think most marvel fans would enjoy this and potentially even those outside the Marvel. With elements of old westerns, action, adventure, science fiction it really has something to offer everyone. On top of this we get to see our heroes a little older but not that much changed. While their bodies might betray them they still are the Guardians of The Galaxy and will still try to save the day.
Hashtags
#WastelandersStarLord #Marvel MarvelEnt #NetGalley #SarahCawkwell #ARCBookReview #ARCReview #AconyteBooks #BookReview #gifted #ad #BookReviewer #BookBlogger #BookHoader #FantasticRead #BookDragon #BookShark #BookReader #Bookstagram #BookNerd #BookReader #BookLover #BooksBooksBooks #BookAddict #Book
About Marvel Entertainment
Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world’s most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of more than 8,000 characters featured in a variety of media for over eighty years. Marvel utilizes its character franchises in entertainment, licensing, publishing, games, and digital media.
For more information visit marvel.com. © 2023 MARVEL
I was given an ARC to review for by Aconyte Books & Netgalley. My reviews are always honest and all opinions are my own. #WastelandersStarLord #Marvel MarvelEnt #NetGalley #SarahCawkwell #ARCBookReview #ARCReview #AconyteBooks #BookReview #gifted #ad
Review
Wastelanders: Star-Lord sees something I didn’t know I needed but I did, an older but not wiser Star-Lord and Rocket (he is wiser by the way it’s just Peter who is still, well Peter). They are a little slower and a lot saltier than before. Now crash landing in the desolated Midwest of Earths America they soon find that it isn’t what it used to be either. Especially after thirty years of Doctor Doom’s control over the now newly named Wastelands. But it’s not like they came to Earth by choice either, the form Guardians are working for The Collector. Who sent them to find the Black Vortex, an ancient relic reported to yield cosmic powers. That shouldn’t be a problem if it weren’t for the guillotine collars their employer has snapped on their necks which will finish them off if they don’t complete the job. Add to that the fact that they aren’t exactly alone in the wastelands meeting the ageless telepath Emma Frost, outlaw Ghost Riders and the bloodthirsty hunter Kraven. All with plans and schemes of their own. Who will find the Black Vortex first and what will be the price they have to pay for its power?
Okay so before the semi spoiler I want to say that Cawkwell is brilliant at capturing the characters and bringing them to life. Although the Star-Lord and Rocket we see here are older they still are very much the characters we know and love (well we do Rocket, Quill is just sort of there for me) and I have following on from that she made me actually laugh and like Quill. Now that is a hard task to complete. I love the Guardians don’t get me wrong and Quill is, well, an integral part of the team but much like Rocket I do get a bit fed up of him. That said he is still frustrating but that is a good thing. For me at least. It means his character is captured perfectly. On top of this so are the other characters that we see make cameos and appearances. I particularly loved that Kraven and Emma Frost make appearances and of course Doctor Doom (arguably my favourite Marvel Villain).
Not only does Cawkwell nail the characterisation the novel is action packed and reads a lot like a comic. That isn’t to say it’s telling not showing or overly heavy on description but rather it is punchy and keeps you on your toes. Something is always happening to either aid or hinder our heroes and it is brilliant but we have the added bonus of getting to know characters more intermittently with thoughts and feelings.
Spoiler
Firstly you know I hate spoilers but I am putting a warning here that while I will not spoil anything overly major or go in great details of the plot there is one thing I feel I need to say because I will not lie this is the first marvel prose novel to make me emotionally upset. I am talking literally pausing and being on the verge of tears. The reason will be mentioned below and prefaced by a spoiler warning section but first lets discuss what the novel is about.
Now for the mini spoiler a testament to Cawkwell’s further skill of capturing the characters and bringing them to life was Rocket and his death. No one can live forever but honestly that scene just broke me emotionally and helped me realise Quill isn’t so bad after all. This after rather rudely thinking, why couldn’t Star-Lord of is this have died. I honestly haven’t been that emotionally hit by the book in a while actually. And while it was a fitting way for him to go it still struck me. Now it’s not a bad thing. Quite the opposite as I said it goes to show how amazing Cawkwell is. I literally had to take a break from reading. That hardly ever happens. So yes, if you are a fellow Rocket fan prepare to be amused by our snarky friend but perhaps bring some tissues too!
End Spoiler
All in all this novel was amazing and one I really enjoyed. While it will be a must for Guardian of the Galaxy fans I think most marvel fans would enjoy this and potentially even those outside the Marvel. With elements of old westerns, action, adventure, science fiction it really has something to offer everyone. On top of this we get to see our heroes a little older but not that much changed. While their bodies might betray them they still are the Guardians of The Galaxy and will still try to save the day.
Hashtags
#WastelandersStarLord #Marvel MarvelEnt #NetGalley #SarahCawkwell #ARCBookReview #ARCReview #AconyteBooks #BookReview #gifted #ad #BookReviewer #BookBlogger #BookHoader #FantasticRead #BookDragon #BookShark #BookReader #Bookstagram #BookNerd #BookReader #BookLover #BooksBooksBooks #BookAddict #Book
About Marvel Entertainment
Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world’s most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of more than 8,000 characters featured in a variety of media for over eighty years. Marvel utilizes its character franchises in entertainment, licensing, publishing, games, and digital media.
For more information visit marvel.com. © 2023 MARVEL
silverscreenreader's review
adventurous
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
hils79's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
An absolutely gripping read regardless of how familiar you are with the Marvel universe. I couldn’t put it down.
netslummer's review
4.0
Star-Lord and Rocket aren't the spry young heroes they used to be. They're older, slower, a bit stiffer and a lot grumpier. At least Rocket is. After crash landing in the midwest, sent to hunt for the Black Vortex by The Collector, they realize that things on Earth are a lot more different than when they last visited. Doctor Doom and several other villains have taken over and all of the heroes are dead. Can Star-Lord and Rocket find the Black Vortex and try to set everything right and lead the oppressed people of the Wastelands to revolution?
This book was A LOT of fun. I was really excited to get a chance to read this adaptation of the Marvel podcast called Wastelanders originally by Benjamin Percy. Rocket is one of my favorite Marvel characters and who doesn't love the Guardians as a whole? Reading about two of my favorite Marvel heroes past their prime but still trying to do the right thing was a great experience. It feels like their characters were really well realized in this book. The banter between Rocket and Quill is on point and the action scenes are broken up with their usual forms of comedy. While this all holds true, this book is surprisingly more emotional: Groot, Gamora and Drax are all dead and Quill blames himself for it. You eventually are shown why he has internalized this and how he still, years later, lives with that guilt. The story is heavy and emotional but still very entertaining and funny.
I absolutely flew through the first probably forty percent of the book; there was a bit in the middle of the book that was perhaps a bit slower and didn't hold my focus as well but the end of the book I couldn't put down again. All-in-all I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Marvel comics or movies.
Thank you to NetGalley and Aconyte Books for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
About Marvel Entertainment
Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world’s most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of more than 8,000 characters featured in a variety of media for over eighty years. Marvel utilizes its character franchises in entertainment, licensing, publishing, games, and digital media.
For more information visit marvel.com. © 2023 MARVEL
This book was A LOT of fun. I was really excited to get a chance to read this adaptation of the Marvel podcast called Wastelanders originally by Benjamin Percy. Rocket is one of my favorite Marvel characters and who doesn't love the Guardians as a whole? Reading about two of my favorite Marvel heroes past their prime but still trying to do the right thing was a great experience. It feels like their characters were really well realized in this book. The banter between Rocket and Quill is on point and the action scenes are broken up with their usual forms of comedy. While this all holds true, this book is surprisingly more emotional: Groot, Gamora and Drax are all dead and Quill blames himself for it. You eventually are shown why he has internalized this and how he still, years later, lives with that guilt. The story is heavy and emotional but still very entertaining and funny.
I absolutely flew through the first probably forty percent of the book; there was a bit in the middle of the book that was perhaps a bit slower and didn't hold my focus as well but the end of the book I couldn't put down again. All-in-all I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Marvel comics or movies.
Thank you to NetGalley and Aconyte Books for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
About Marvel Entertainment
Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world’s most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of more than 8,000 characters featured in a variety of media for over eighty years. Marvel utilizes its character franchises in entertainment, licensing, publishing, games, and digital media.
For more information visit marvel.com. © 2023 MARVEL
wyrmbergmalcolm's review against another edition
4.0
The story follows the last two surviving Guardians of the Galaxy; Star-Lord and Rocket as they embark on another adventure. This time they are older, even more cantankerous and no-less incompetent. The constant bickering between the two should have begun to grate, but the underlying, unstated love that the two have for each other takes the callousness away. Plus, it's funny. For Peter Quill, wisdom has not followed age as he continually and optimisitcally bumbles his way across the pages Forrest Gumping himself out of one situation and into another. Rocket has a secret, one that has such an obvious conclusion I saw it coming straight away, but there you go. They are joined by an alien recorder droid meaning the story is often told out of order and the recorder is used to bring certain characters up to speed with events so far. This might be confusing for some, but it has been done in such a way that it should be easy enough to follow.
In the Wasteland stalks Kraven the Hunter and my first main issue with the story. Anything not including Kraven the Hunter is generally light-hearted, even when it's dismal, but Kraven's scenes are extremely violent and visceral. Tonally, I don't feel this worked all that well, as we go from Quill's hilariously useless rescue attempt to a savage murder by Kraven.
The story also follows the usual outsider trope of being the catalyst to a revolution which, though it was a significant part of the story, felt more like the backdrop (it was, but so much so, it was barely worth having in the first place).
The end of the book sees the start of some new thing in motion and... there's no follow-up book. This story is based off of a podcast series that follows a series of elderly heroes and villains in this Wasteland but at the time of reading, and writing this review, this is the first and only novel of the series. A quick Google shows no intimation of book 2 potential existence or release date. Yes, there's the graphic novels and the podcast, but book 2 would be nice.
In the Wasteland stalks Kraven the Hunter and my first main issue with the story. Anything not including Kraven the Hunter is generally light-hearted, even when it's dismal, but Kraven's scenes are extremely violent and visceral. Tonally, I don't feel this worked all that well, as we go from Quill's hilariously useless rescue attempt to a savage murder by Kraven.
The story also follows the usual outsider trope of being the catalyst to a revolution which, though it was a significant part of the story, felt more like the backdrop (it was, but so much so, it was barely worth having in the first place).
The end of the book sees the start of some new thing in motion and... there's no follow-up book. This story is based off of a podcast series that follows a series of elderly heroes and villains in this Wasteland but at the time of reading, and writing this review, this is the first and only novel of the series. A quick Google shows no intimation of book 2 potential existence or release date. Yes, there's the graphic novels and the podcast, but book 2 would be nice.
sanjiv221's review
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
lizziebennett's review
adventurous
funny
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
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